"The number of guests bringing dogs was increasing and increasing, and the complaints from our other guests were increasing as well," said Todd Martin, Hillstone's general manager.

Restaurants, hotels and shopping areas are making accommodations for pets, and in Florida more local governments are giving official blessing to "doggie dining." But welcoming Fido and Fluffy can become an expensive hassle that sometimes gets businesses in the doghouse with other customers.

Businesses like Hillstone occasionally reverse pet-friendly policies if an animal causes a problem, said Len Kain, vice president of marketing for Alaska-based DogFriendly.com, which lists restaurants, hotels and parks that allow canines.

"The easiest thing to do is say, 'No more dogs,'" Kain said. "If a kid throws their soda on somebody, you can't just say no more kids. With dogs, it's easier to just say no."

Owners say pets that dine out or travel frequently generally behave well and allowing them on the premises is smart business.

Meagan Wouda of Gotha plans to visit Hillstone less often now that her German shepherd Max can't tag along.

"He's my friend," said Wouda, 36, a nurse. "I want to go places I can take him."

In 2006, the Florida Legislature passed a law allowing dogs to dine outside at restaurants as long as city and county governments approved it.

Winter Park never gave its official blessing, however. On Park Avenue, city officials say restaurants can get around the law because outdoor tables are on public sidewalks.

Hillstone's patio is out back on private property. No one told the restaurant it couldn't legally allow dogs, Martin said.

Demetrios Girmis, who co-owns Argos Family Diner in Seminole Countynear Apopka, said he never realized his restaurant couldn't have dogs outside until an irate customer reported him to the state.

Girmis then encouraged county leaders to consider a "doggie dining" ordinance.

But Mary Arnold, an attorney who lives in Winter Park, disagrees. She almost always takes her Boston terriers Olivia and Christian along to restaurants.

"They always have been to me, but to many people, they're becoming part of the family," Arnold said.

It's not just restaurants welcoming pets.

Malls are allowing them in for photo shoots with Santa, though Florida Mall stopped doing so after trying it once a few years ago. Pet photos have become so popular at Orlando Fashion Square, the mall this year allowed animals to pose with the Easter bunny, too.

Walt Disney World in 2010 opened a luxury pet resort for up to 300 animals. There, pets can enjoy bedtime stories, ice-cream treats, bottled water and "premium orthopedic bedding."

Unlike many hotels, however, Disney's resorts still forbid pets.

Loews resorts at Universal Studios allow them, as do many chains from Motel 6 to Starwood Resorts.

Twenty-nine percent of vacationers want animals allowed in their hotel rooms, compared with 24 percent a year ago, according to a survey by travel-marketing firm MMGY Global.

But hotels and motels have more expensive worries when they open their doors to four-legged guests.

If animals stain rugs or tear up couches, hoteliers have to pay for cleaning and repair. They can also lose revenue if they can't rent out the rooms for a day or two, said Michael Terry, an instructor at the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

Many hotels require pet fees or deposits, often ranging from $10 to $50, to help defray those costs.

"There are a zillion hotels … that are saying yeah, we'll let you in, but we've got some rules," Terry said. "There's some money involved just in case."